While the Carolina Hurricanes are still trying to handle business on the ice, the front office is approaching a deadline to sign some prospects. On June 1, the signing rights for three unsigned players in the organization are set to expire. The Canes have until then to decide whether they intend to sign them to entry-level contracts. Spoiler alert, it appears unlikely any of them will be signed.
Jakub Vondras
Selected in the sixth round with the 171st pick in 2022, Jakub Vondras hasn't found a way to set himself apart in an admittedly thin goalie pool for the Hurricanes. After marginal success in Czechia, Vondras tried making the jump to North America in 2023, signing with the Sudbury Wolves. While he won 20 games, his 3.79 GAA and .861 save percentage weren't great.
During the 2023-24 season, Vondras was selected to represent Czechia at the World Juniors. His only appearance came in relief during the Bronze Medal Game against Finland. Czechia trailed 2-0 early, giving way for Vondras, who came in and stopped 17 of the 20 shots he faced. The Czechs scored five times in the third period to win the game, 8-5, and the bronze medal.
After a subpar season in the OHL, Vondras returned to his home country and hasn't played much outside of Czechia's second league. He put together a solid campaign this season, sporting a .921 save percentage in 22 games. With the team drafting Semyon Frolov last summer, Vondras has likely been pushed far enough down the charts that signing him wouldn't make sense.
Simon Forsmark
If he hadn't signed a three-year extension with his Swedish team in November, Simon Forsmark would've been the most likely to ink his entry-level deal before Monday's deadline. However, with him locked in with Timrå IK of the SHL through the 2028-29 season, that appears incredibly unlikely for the tall left-handed defenseman.
Selected in 2022 with the 101st pick, Forsmark has carved a solid role at the top of Timrå's defensive pairs. With offense at the forefront of his game, he posted a career-best 23 points in 49 games a year ago. His production slowed a little this year, finishing with 14 points. Still, the team clearly likes what they have, giving him a new contract early in the season.
The Hurricanes' roster has an abundance of left-shot defenders, and while the Wolves have a few more questions surrounding their roster next season, the team signed Noel Fransen, two years Forsmark's junior, last week to help add another name into the fold. I would've been interested to see how Forsmark's game translated to North American competition. I guess we'll (likely) never know.
Nils Juntorp
When the Hurricanes completed the initial trade to acquire Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall in a three-team deal, one of the final pieces was the Canes acquiring the signing rights to forward Nils Juntorp. Taken 17 picks after Vondras in the 2022 draft by the Blackhawks, it appears likely that Juntorp's time in the Canes' system is drawing to a close.
Juntorp joined Dubuque of the USHL in 2022, scoring 27 points in 59 games, but he soon returned to Sweden. Over the last three seasons, he has played all but three games in Sweden's third-tier league, HockeyEttan. Juntorp got off to a slow start with Boras HC, but 30 points in 23 games after a mid-season move to HC Dalen made this his most productive season since his draft year.
After a good end to the year, Juntorp is expected to remain with HC Dalen next season. He's due to move up to the next league at some point. He dressed for three games with Västerås IK in 2024-25, playing just under 14 total minutes. While he's still only 22 years old, Juntorp hasn't progressed much since being drafted, and it doesn't appear that he's making the jump to the U.S. anytime soon.
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